Natural stone countertops offer us benefits that no other surface can. Two of the most popular countertops for kitchens are quartz and granite.

They both offer us some amazing benefits.

Did you know that granite and quartz countertops allow us to take hot pans out of the oven and put them on the countertop? You won’t have to make room on the cook top or use a trivet any more.

You’ll also be able to put those cutting boards away. You won’t scratch either countertop with you knives. You can knead dough on the countertop too. Just put flower on the countertop just like you would put flower on a cutting board.

When you compare granite vs quartz you’re going to find some major differences too. Take for example the color patterns. The patterns in quartz are well distributed. The colors don’t vary throughout the stone.

The colors in quartz are also manmade with dyes so you can get some incredible and beautiful hues that can match even the most difficult kitchen color scheme.

Granite countertops are quite different. The colors and patterns are completely natural and vary throughout the stone. It’s called veining and it’s a beautiful effect and timeless effect.

The price of granite or quartz countertops is very similar. If you have room in your budget for one than you can easily change your mind without breaking your budget. The price of silestone countertops, a popular brand of quartz countertops, varies from $40 a square foot to $90 a square foot, depending on the color pattern that you choose.

You can see all of the available colors at the home improvement stores like Home Depot. You’ll be pleased to know that the inexpensive color patterns are not ugly colors at all. My two favorite colors come from the cheapest options.

There is no maintenance required with silestone countertops. Just keep them clean using non-abrasive cleansers. Granite however, is another story.

With granite countertops you’ll need to apply a sealer every six to eighteen months. This is necessary to keep stains and bacteria from working its way into the pores in your countertop.

Granite is a porous stone so we have to step in and fill up those pores. If you forget to apply a regular coat of sealant you are at a much higher risk of staining your countertops. If you compare quartz vs granite, and choose granite, make sure to buy a bottle of high quality granite sealer. The small investment in a $15 bottle of sealant will pay for itself many times over.